TEN players - headed by stars Glenn Stewart and Adam Blair, who face the possibility of multiple charges that would end their seasons if found guilty - are set to come under the microscope when the NRL's match-review committee sits down today for what will be its longest and most dramatic meeting of the season.

The fallout from Friday's fight night at Brookvale Oval, when Manly's Stewart and Melbourne's Blair stopped to trade punches near the sideline after being sin-binned midway through the first half, is set to hit both clubs hard, with enormous potential for suspensions that could dramatically affect the finals campaigns of both teams.

There is also sure to be action taken against both clubs by the NRL management, for the part players from both sides played in bringing the game into disrepute. It has been suggested Manly and Melbourne could be fined as much as $100,000 each.

Eye of the Storm ... Adam Blair sports a shiner at a recovery session on Saturday after Friday night's brawl. Photo: James Brickwood

The Storm attempted some damage control last night, when the club issued a statement that included an extended apology from Blair for the part he played in the incident, but it isn't expected to affect what happens today.

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In the Storm's statement, Blair apologised for his involvement, saying: ''I'm extremely disappointed to be involved in such an incident that does not put the game I love in a positive light, especially my family, friends and all rugby league supporters. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if I had my time again I would have done things differently.

''It was a spur-of-the-moment reaction that was not planned and to be honest it happened that quickly I still don't really know why it occurred. Manly is a very good footy team. We have a healthy respect and good rivalry after many years of good competition and from my point of view that has not changed. There is a process to go through and I will be fully co-operative through that process.''

Fight night at Brookvale

The incident started with a fight between Manly's Darcy Lussick and Melbourne's Ryan Hinchcliffe, after Hinchcliffe elbowed Lussick as the Sea Eagles player tackled him.

Other players, including, notably, Stewart and Blair, joined in the melee on that occasion. But while the drama should have ended with Stewart and Blair being sin-binned, instead it escalated.

Stewart, sin-binned first, walked off. Blair, sin-binned second, jogged off. Blair caught up with Stewart and the pair exchanged words - the speculation is Blair suggested the pair ''get it on'' - and the fists started flying. Then, four other Manly players - including Stewart's brother, Brett - ran in from a distance to get involved. The others were Kieran Foran, Michael Robertson and Lussick. That was the signal for a melee that drew players from everywhere, including the Melbourne bench, from where Bryan Norrie, Sisa Waqa and Jaiman Lowe emerged.

Glenn Stewart and Blair are each bound to face at least one charge and possibly two. It could be two counts of contrary conduct or one of contrary conduct and another of striking. Lussick could also face two, one for striking in the original incident and another of contrary conduct for running a distance to get involved in the brawl between Blair and Glenn Stewart. Hinchcliffe could face a striking charge for the initial elbow.

History shows this is how the match-review committee - and, potentially, the judiciary - deal with incidents as serious as these.

The league also comes down hard with fines or other disciplinary measures when it believes the image of the game has been damaged.

It remains to be seen whether Glenn Stewart and Blair face high-grade contrary conduct charges or their matters are referred directly to the judiciary. Either way, it is clear their hopes of playing in the remainder of this season are at grave risk of being dashed. Melbourne and Manly are in first and second place, and will play only four or five more games this season, depending on whether they win in the first week of the finals series.

NRL chief executive David Gallop made clear his distaste at what had happened when he said on Saturday that the matter was ''serious and unacceptable'', and that both clubs would have to take responsibility for ''the complete lack of self-discipline shown by their people''. He told the Herald he wasn't making any further comment yesterday.

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